Paul Monsters, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2022
The thing about Paul Monsters’ work is that it is consistently outstanding. His geometric designs and colour schemes couldn’t possibly be by anyone else, and this one for the Cheltenham Paint Festival is a real beauty.
Paul Monsters, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2022
One of the really noticeable things about Upfest and the Cheltenham Paint Festival is that a large proportion of the artists are from Bristol and it makes me realise just how blessed we are, and how much a part of the culture street/graffiti art is. Paul Monsters is at the heart of that culture and his work emblematic of it.
This magnificent collaboration between Paul Monsters and Tom Miller was painted a little while back, but I couldn’t work out where it was. I found it by accident when returning from a trip to Greenbank. Although it is a large piece, it is easy to miss if you are not looking out, and is pretty much invisible if driving in the opposite direction.
Paul Monsters and Tom Miller, Queen Street, Bristol, May 2022
I’m glad that I did find it though, because it is a truly spectacular collaboration from a pair of artists who are unafraid of using a ton of colour in their work. The two styles, one geometric and the other surreal, are a perfect match because of the blending of colour palette. The elaborate geometric pattern is by Paul Monsters and is as complex as I have seen from him. The frenetic explosion of objects spilling out of a portrait is by Tom Miller, whose work I have been following closely and admiring for several years.
Paul Monsters and Tom Miller, Queen Street, Bristol, May 2022
A closer look at Tom Miller’s piece gives us a small window into the busy mind of the artist, with at least three portraits, a car, a rubber duck and some crystals. Heaven only knows what it all means, but it matters not, it is the work of an enormously talented artist. This is as fine a collaboration as I have seen this year.
You can be pretty certain that when Paul Monsters and Andy Council team up, you are going to get something rather special, and this collaboration in Cumberland Basin is definitely special. The two have combined their unique styles into a bit of a mash up piece, rather than painting side by side in what I would call a true collaboration.
Andy Council and Paul Monsters, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, March 2022
The colourful geometric shapes are by Paul Monsters and set the framework for a stunning Andy Council nautilus or ammonite, a large version of the icon he uses for his signature. Set on a black buffed wall the collaboration is truly outstanding, and all for free! So good to see these two collaborating, and I hope they plan to work together again some time.
There is a little bit of magic in this remarkable collaboration between Paul Monsters and Ments. The more obvious style is that of Paul Monsters with his colourful geometric patterns, but look a little closer and you can see some distortions in the patterns which are the work of Ments.
Paul Monsters and Ments, Clift House Road, Bristol, January 2022
I’m not sure if I can remember these two collaborating before, but it seems to be a match made in heaven. This is what I would call a true collaboration, where the whole piece is seamless and complete and there is total fusion between the artists.
Paul Monsters and Ments, Clift House Road, Bristol, January 2022
The effect of the regular patterns melting away in the middle works so well and plays to Ments’ strengths of creating fluid patterns that look at times like molten metal. I could look at this piece for hours, such it it’s mesmerising effect.
Paul Monsters and Ments, Clift House Road, Bristol, January 2022
Paul Monsters building a reputation as something of a collaboration king, and I am aware of a new collaboration with Tom Miller that I will be hunting down over the next few days. An awesome piece.
This magnificent collaboration was one of the earlier ones to be completed for Upfest’s 75 walls in 75 days summer event, and these pictures have languished in my archives since June. The collaboration is by Koeone and Paul Monsters and plays magnificently to each of their strengths.
Koeone and Paul Monsters, West Street, Bristol, June 2021, Upfest 21
The beautiful portrait in greyscale is by Koeone and is painted with such care and attention to tones and shading, which brings an incredible calmness and grace to the piece. The hand is amazing, and perfectly in proportion.
Koeone and Paul Monsters, West Street, Bristol, June 2021, Upfest 21
The overall piece is very typical of a Koeone production, where the hair is separated from the face, being decorated with a highly colourful design or pattern, in this case perfectly painted by Paul Monsters.
Koeone and Paul Monsters, West Street, Bristol, June 2021, Upfest 21
Paul’s geometric design in greens, blues, purples, browns and oranges lends itself perfectly to a collaboration with Koeone. I think that these two should get together again, because the complementary styles have created something very special here. A lovely collaboration.
I think I am right in saying that Paul Monsters is the only artist at Upfest’s 75 walls in 75 days event to have painted more than one wall, although I still haven’t posted his first collaboration yet. This is his second collaboration, and this time he has combined delightfully with The Hass.
The Hass and Paul Monsters, Ashton Road, Bristol, August 2021, Upfest 21
The collaboration is painted on two sides of a building on Ashton Road, not far away from the Ashton Gate football stadium. The portrait, which looks a little bit like a self-portrait, is by The Hass, but the way it blends into the geometric patterns of Paul Monsters is what makes this a proper collaboration in my eyes.
The Hass and Paul Monsters, Ashton Road, Bristol, August 2021, Upfest 21
The Hass is a super-talented artist who writes under another name for his graffiti pieces. The portrait has such amazing depth, with perfect use of different tones and shading to bring out the features and highlight all the wrinkles and contours of the face. A masterful piece of wall art.
The Hass and Paul Monsters, Ashton Road, Bristol, August 2021, Upfest 21
It is quite unusual to see this colour combination used in the geometric work of Paul Monsters. More often he works with yellows, greens, browns, oranges and purples, but here he has gone for a rather more subtle colour palette which works really well on this particular space.
The Hass and Paul Monsters, Ashton Road, Bristol, August 2021, Upfest 21
I am not too sure about the significance of the owl, but The Hass has absolutely smashed it. The owl appears to be wearing a little red cap, shared by the self-portrait, and I wonder if The Hass is the owl. Who knows? I’ll have to ask him next time I see him.
All in all, another outstanding wall in this summer series. We citizens of Bristol are a lucky bunch really.
The Hass and Paul Monsters, Ashton Road, Bristol, August 2021, Upfest 21
This is a very special wall, indeed all the walls around the Sofa Project are special. A special wall deserves special treatment and this fabulous recent collaboration from Paul Monsters, Andy Council and Soker, is, I would say, very special.
Andy Council, Soker and Paul Monsters, Waterloo Place, Bristol, June 2021
To the left of the collaboration is a stunning nautilus or ammonite piece by Andy Council, who seems to have strayed from constructing his creatures from architecture to painting blocks that are ‘stitched’ together with bits of ‘chord’. The outcome is a very clever effect of life that is constrained from inanimate parts. Andy Council has been unbelievably busy on the streets over the last year, and I can’t remember a time when I have seen so much of his work. This is very good news.
Andy Council, Soker and Paul Monsters, Waterloo Place, Bristol, June 2021
To the right of the creature is a high-end piece of wildstyle writing from Soker painted in shades of blue with a white border/3D shadow. Spelling SOKEM, the whole thing is very easy on the eye and so obviously painted by a creative master. It is near perfect.
Andy Council, Soker and Paul Monsters, Waterloo Place, Bristol, June 2021
This collaboration just wouldn’t be anywhere near as good without the outstanding geometric pattern piece from the fabulous Paul Monsters acting as a backdrop, but contributing so much more than that. Paul Monsters pieces might just be the most recognisable in Bristol, and he has really carved out a niche for himself with this unique style and palette.
Overall an outstanding collaboration and a real treat.
The slowness with which I have photographed and posted some pieces this year is an artefact of the lockdown as there are some parts of town that I simply don’t go to any more since I stopped going into the office. Anchor Road is one of those places. This piece by Paul Monsters was painted quite some time ago, but I only photographed it last weekend.
Paul Monsters, Anchor Road, Bristol, May 2021
This container has had some memorable pieces on it, notably from Andrew Burns Colwill and SPZero76, so it is fitting to have an eye catching geometric design from Paul Monsters here too. Using his customary colour shades and shapes Paul has turned a drab surface into a vibrant living 3D piece of art for the citizens of Bristol to enjoy, and keeps up the fine tradition associated with this otherwise rather ugly storage unit. Excellent work.
Andrew Burns Colwill, Anchor Road, Bristol, January 2017SPZero76, Anchor Road, Bristol, October 2017
It has taken me a while to get round to posting this wonderful facade piece from Paul Monsters which in its short lifetime has become a bit of a landmark on Bedminster Parade. What a fabulous boost murals can give to an area, and this is a prime example, I am only surprised that it doesn’t happen an awful lot more than it does.
Paul Monsters, Bedminster Parade, Bristol, April 2021
Paul Monsters’ designs are instantly recognisable and combining his shades of colours with geometric patterns lift the work creating a clever 3D effect. Definitely eye catching even for those with their heads buried in their mobile devices. Let’s get the whole city brightened up! More like this please Paul.
A beguiling and very clever collaboration brings together the complementary skills of Paul Monsters and Soker in a piece that has a little secret that isn’t at first inspection very obvious. It is a secret I’ll let you in to. The writing by Soker spells the word TRUE, but upside down it spells FALSE. Very clever stuff and very much in the domain of Graffiti writers who love this kind of letter-play.
Paul Monsters and Soker, M32 roundabout, Bristol September 2020
Of course the writing is top notch, but that is what we expect from Soker. The background design is unmistakably the work of Paul Monsters whose distinctive geometric designs and colour selections adorn walls all over Brisol. Note to self – time for a Paul Monsters gallery?. This is an outstanding collaboration from two great artists and fine fellows.
Natural adventures 